Controller.



G. E. OOGHRAN.

CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JU 22, 1912,

Patented Sept, 16,1913.

2i I I rrn srnirps r n rsrtr orruon curios GUGHHAE', or crnvnrerm, onro, AssIoNon To THE'ELWELL-PABKER Euro- 'rnro COMPANY or sztrnnfron, or CL VELAND, onto, A CORPORATION or WEST vrnemm.

CONTRQLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

Application filed 1111 22, 1912.- ,serial I la. #103793.

To all whom it may concern.

Be. it known that I, CLYDE E. COCHRAN, a c1tizen of the United States, residing at 1 Cleveland. in the county of Cuyahog'a and State of Ohio, have invented a. certain new and useful Improvement in Contrillers of which the following "is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to electric controllers preferably for use on moving structures,

as motor vehicles, electric cars, traveling cranes, elevators and the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a safety device rendering the controller operotnble only when the attendant is in his normal or operating position, the circuit being automatically broken if the attendant leaves that position, and the controller not being again operable until he returns.

More specifics-ll the invention incl des the combination with a vehicle, of an electrio controller thereon and a platform for supporting the attendant, and mechanism connecting the platform with the controller so that the controller may only be operated when the sttendsnt. is on the platform. When the attendant leaves the platform a supplemental. switch is automatically opened. breaking the circuit. Whether the controller lever be in the off position or otherwise. If it is not in the ofl position it must bereturned to that position before the supplemental switch can be closed.

The invention comprises the means by which I carry out the above operations, as hereinafter more fully explained and as definitely set out in the claims. v

ln the drawings, Figure I is a front elevation of my controller with thecover'removed"; Fig. 2 is an end view thereof, the end plate of the controller casing being removed and the controller being coupled with the platform and safety mechanism; Fig. 3 is o side elevation on a reduced scale of :1 portion of a motor truck equipped with my controller and safety mechanism; Fig, l is a detail showing an end View of the safety locking device on. the controller shaft; Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of .a portion or" the controller; Fig. is a plan, partly sectional and partly broken away, of

the controller. I

As shown 1n the drswlngs, 10 represents the casing of the controlleli 31in which is mounted the controller barrel 11 having con tact plates, and the cooperating contact fingers 12'. The controller barrel is on a shaft 13 which is journaled in bearings 14: at one end of the casing, and e bearing Within the casin provided by the frame bracket 15 and cap 1 'Un the shaft is a pinion 17, which meshes with an operating segment 18 on the" operating shaft 19. through the casing and is provided with any suitable means for rocking it and thereby operating the controller. The operating inesnsrnay be attached to the shaft :it'either end of the casing, or there may be two operating means, one at each end, as desired. The controller barrel is provided with 'a. usual notched indicator wheel 20 With Which locate a roller 21 onan arm 22, spring pressed against. the indicator wheel.

The parts so for described may be of any suitable construction. I have found the embodiment shown in the drawings to be a satisfcctory'one. It is to be understood that, when the main shaft 19 is turned in one direction the circuit is connected to accelcrate the motor to drive forwardly the vehicle or other connected structure, While the turning in the opposite direction will reverse the motor and drive the vehicle backword.

To make the operation of the controller dependent oil-the attendant being in pro er position I provide the following Inec a. nisrnz On the bearing bracket 15 is a suit able stationary upright guide'way provided by the blocks 30 in which are parallel grooves facing each other, in Which grooves lie guiding ribs 32"of a vertical cross head'- 31. This cross head is an open. structure having a pair of sepa'mtcd vertical plates carrying the ribs mentioned a d connected together at their lower ends, and at that point the cross head carries a Contact brush 231-3, which normally engages stationary terminals Pivoted in the cross head between its side plates near their upper ends, is a bell crank 36 which, at its lower end, carries a roller 37. This roller coacts With a cup '24 on the end of the barrel shaft 13 in a. manner hereinafter described. The horizontal arm of the bell crank 36 is connected by 21-pin and slot connection with a vertical rod 40 which is slida'ble inears 38 This shaft extends 'ing rod. 45. This rod 45 is connected l) contact, the controller turns on and oil the 'weight, the spring 5Q acts to swing, the plat of the cross head 33. On rod is a head ll which has a sliding connection with a yoke 5 2, which itself slides on the rod 20. A compression spring 43 is interposed between the head 41 and the other eia'l of the yoke. Theyoke is connected with a dependany suitable mechanism with a folding platform. As shown, the connection is by a bell crank 46 connected with the rod 45, an adjustable link ll", 48, and an arm 49, which projects rigidly from the platform 50. A suitable spring placed anywhere in the mecl'ianism, as indicated by the spring 52, tends to move the mechanism in a direction to elevate the platform.

With the mechanism described, when the operator is standing on the platform 50, the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Accordingly, the yoke 42 is drawn; down, the cross head 31 is in its lowermost position and the brush is contacting with the terminal 34. The spring 43 in the yoke 42 enables the platform to swing to the limit of its movement alter the engagement of the brush 33 wilh the. terminal ill. in this position of the parts, the roller 37 is beneath the cup 24; on lhe controller shaft, and the "ntroller is operated entirely in deplnl'lenfy ot the safety mechanism described. The terminals 34'. and 33 are inserted in series in one of the main leads to the controller, but when these parts are in current in the usual manner. It, however, the operator should leave the platform 50, the safety mechanism controlled thereby at once operates and breaks the circuit. This is accon'iplished as follows: Suppose first that, when the operator leaves the platform,

the controller barrel standing; at oil position. In that position, a notch 25 through the wall of the cup 2% stands (lirccljly over the roller 37. Now, when the platform is relieved of the operators form upwardly and to raise the rod 40, and the I'Oll, shoving upwardly on lhe spring 32, raises the cross head 31, which carries the roller 37 into the interior of lhe'cup 24- through the notch 25, the terminal 33 moving upwardly away from the terminal 3i. Tlll'S the circuit is automatically opened when. the operator leaves his platform. New, the circuit being open at. the terminals 3 -3, it is immaterial it any one, tampering with the mechanism, should turn the contro'lcr to an aclive position. By such movement, tho cup is turned around so that it. wall lies beneath the roller 3?, thereby holding lhe cross ltead 31 elevated and retaining" ihc contact open at the t-r-rill. ll is impossible to close. the

ininals i lornnnals :f, :5! m! H COMPGHOI. y,

has been ljl'l ught lo lbe off position, thus bringing the notch 25 beneath the roller 3.? and allowing it to pass through that notch and the cross, head to descend. Accordingly, stepping; on the platform when the controller is at active position would simply result in compressing" the spring 43, and the sa'l'etylerminals would still be maintained apart, the roller 37 being held elevated by the wall of the cup beneath it.

i It! ans are provided for automatically returning the controller barrel to the 0d position when the operator takes his hand off of the controlling lever, as for example the opposed springs and 56 (Fig. which engage the rock arm 57 on the main shaft 19, this arm being shown as connected by a link 58 with the handle 59. But sup platform, the controller lever is jammed or lhc barrel for any reason is in an activeposition instead of an ofi position, as it? should be. Under these circumstances, the notch 25 will not be directly above the roller 37. so that the operation will be somewhat different. Namely, on the first upward movement of the rod 40 the cross head illcan not rise because it is blocked by the roller 37 engaging the outside of the on 24. The slot 54in the head of the ro however, allows the rod to rise, and, after the movement provided by this slot (the spring 39 compressing during this action) the lower end of the slot engages the pin on the bell crank 36 and a continued movement rocks the bell crank, Withdrawing the roller 37 from beneath the cup 2 Thereupon, the cross head suddenly rises, the

roller 37 snapping. across the Wall of the A cup, abruptly breaking the contact at the terminals, 33, 3%. in this movement, the end or" the roller 37, having passed across the arcual wall of the cup 24, stands opposite the cup entrance. Now, on any downward movement of the platform, under these conditions, the roller swings into the cup, with the wall of the cup extending below the roller. it is accordingly, impossible lo close the terminals 3.3 and 3% until the controller shaft has been turned to bring the barrel into otif position, which causes the notch 25 to comeloelow the roller and free the cross head.

From the above description, it will be seen that, when the operator leaves the platform, whether the controller is on or otl", the safety contact is immediately broken, and it is impossible to close it again unless the conlroller be .at oil position. Accordingly, my

mechanism protects against accidentt'rom the Such a baggage truck is illustrated in Fig. 3, where (30 indicates the generaltloor or platform of the truck and 61 the wheels. The platform on which the operator stands is shown at .30 and a lever for ope 'ating the controller at 59. Of course, this is simply one adaptation or embodiment of my device and I do not intend to limit myself thereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination, with a controller, a

movable safety member, separable terminals for controlling the circuit of the controller, means for separating such terminals when the safety member is moved, whether the controller be at 0ft or on position, means for preventing" thereturn of the terminals unless the controller be in the oii position, a movable platform, and a connection between it and the safety member.

2. The combination, with a controller. a. movable support, a. spring tending to raise the support, separable terminals for control.- ling the circuit to the controller, means for separating such terminals when the support is raised, and means for preventing the return of the terminals unless the controller.

be in the oif position.

The combination, with a controller barrel and means for operating it, of separable terminals in the controller clrcuit, a movable support, connecting mechanism adapted to separate the terminals when the support is raised, and mechanism between the connecting mechanism and the controller barrel adapted to prevent the return of the terminals unless the controller be in off position.

i. The combination of a controller barrel, a cup movable tlr-rewith and having an opening through its wall, a device having aroller adapted to enact with the inside or outside of paid wall and enter such opening, cooperating terminals, and mechanism for separating the same connected with said device, whereby the terminals may separate when the opening is opposite said device.

5. The combination of a controller barrel, a member movable therewith and having a notch, a device adapted to enact. with said member and enter such notch, cooperating terminals, mechanism for separating the me connected with said device, whereby the terminals may separate when the notch is opposite the device, a movable support, and connecting mechanism bet-ween the same andsaid device.

G. The combination, with a controller barrehof a cup rotatable therewith and having a notch through its wall, a roller adapted to stand either on the outside or the inside of the cup and adapted to pass through said notch and over the wall of the cup, a separable terminal controlled by the position of said roller, and means for moving the roller from the outside to the over the wall of the cup.

T. The combination, with a controller barrel, of a member rotatable therewith having a notch, a roller coacting with the member, the notch being positioned to stand opposite the roller when the controller barrel is in the oif position, means for moving the roller over theedge of the member when the controller barrel is in another position than the off position, and a separable terminal connected for movement with said roller.-

8. The combination, with a controller barrel, of a cup on the end of the barrel shaft, said cup having a notch in its wall, a roller (reacting with the wall of the cup, the notch being positioned to stand opposite the roller when the controller barrel is in another position than the oft position, and a separable terminal connected for movement with said roller.

The combination, with a controller barrel,of a cup rotatable therewith and having I a notched wall, a slide adjacentto the cup, a

bell crank pivoted on the slide and having a roller adapted to coact with the interior or exterior of the cup and pass through the notch, a separable terminal connected with the slide, and an operating member having a yielding connection with the bell crank.

it). The combination, with a controller barrel, of a notched member connected therewith, a slide, a lever pivoted on the slide, a roller on the lever adapted to coact with the notched member, separable terminals connected with the slide, an operating rod, a spring interposed between it and the slide whereby the rod yieldingly operates the slide, and a yielding connection between the rod and said lever.

11. The combination, with a controller, of a safety device connected therewith comprising a folding platform, means for preventing effective actuation of the controller. and connecting mechanism between the same and said platform, said connecting mechanism including a yielding connection enabling the platform to move to final position after the stopping of the connecting mechanism at the controller.

12. The.combination,- with a controller arrel, of separable terminals in the circuit to the controller, mechanism for separating such terminals, mechanism under the control of the controller barrel for preventing the return of such terminals, a movable support, and a connection between the same and the separating mechanism mentioned.

13. The combination, with a controller, of a separable terminal in the circuit thereof, a movable platform, a spring tending to raise the platform, connecting mechanism between the platform andone of said terminals tending to separate the terminals when the platform is raised, said connecting inside of such cup The coin ination, with a controller, of a movable saret-y member, separable terminals for controlling the circuit of the controller, means for separating such terminals when the safety member is moved in one direction, means enabling the safety member to move in both directions when the contl'olle is at the ol'l' position but preventing it moving in the closingdirection when the controller is at an on position, a movable platform, and a connection between it and the safety member,

15. The combination, with a controller, of a member movable thereby having an opening, a safety device adapted to pass through such opening either direction, said device being also ad pted to pass across the member in one. direc ion only. and separable terminals opened. by the last men t-ioned direction of movement, a movable platform, and a connection between it and the sal y device.

'lhe combination, with a controller barrel, of a member movable therewith and having a wall with anotch in it, a blocking device adapted'to niv-ve across the member independently'of the notch in one direction but not in the opposite direction, a pair of eparable terminals, means whereby the movement of, th bloclring device in the direction it can move across said member separates the terminals, a movable platform, means tcndingto raise it, and a connection between the platform and the blocking device adapted to gi e the blocking device the, last mentioned movement when the platform is freed from depressing weight.

u. lhe combination, Vvllll a L'OllLI'OllGI barrel, of a cup rotatable therewith and havinga notch in its wall, a device adapted to stand on either the outer or inner side of the Wall and adapted also to pass through said notch in either direction, a movable member carrying said (ltllcl, a slide carrying" said member, whereby the device may n over the edge oiitho wall from one side to the other but not in the reverse direction, and separable terminals controlled by the movement of said device.

18. lhc combination, with a controller, of enacting terminals, one of which is mov able for controlling the circuit of the controller, means for moving one of said terurinals away from the other whether the controller be at or! or off position,

mechanism. having yielding ling means for blocking are t of such moved the 'ilat-torni to move into ion terminal when the co oller is at on poafter the terminals are broi ntact. sition, a movable platform, connecting mechanism between it and the movable terminal, and a take-up spring in said connect ing mechanism.

19. The combination of a controller barrel, a Wall rotatable therewith and having a notch through it, a slide, a bell crank carried by said slide, a roller carried by the bell crank adapted to ride on either side of the wall and passthrongh the notch and also pass over the edge of the Well, a pair of separable terminals, one of which is connectedwith said slide, and means for moving the bell crank and slide.

20. The combination, with a controller barrel, of a cup rotatable therewith and ha ving a notch through its Wall, a member adapted to stand either on the outside or through said notch and adapted also to pass over the Wall of the cup in one direction, a pair of separable terminals, one of which connected with said member, and means for moving the member from one side of the cup wall to the other over the edge of the wall.

21. The combination, with a controller, of separable terminals for controlling the circuit thereof, means movable by the conbe at oil position, means independent of the controller for returning the terminals into coaction when the controller allows it, and a tak -up spring inclinled in the last mentioned means adapted to be constrained when the controller does not allow the return ofsuch separable terminals.

92. The combination, with a controller, or" separable terminals for controlling the circuit thereof, means movable by the controller for preventing the return of such terminals when separated unless the controller be at old position, a platform, men s tending to raise it, connective mechanism between said platform. one of the teri'niuals adapted to return said terminal into active position when the controller allows it, and a takeaip spring in such connecting mechanism,

In testimony whereof, signature in the presence I hereunto atiix: my of. two Witnesses.

CLYDE E. CUCl-l'ltilll. Witnesses:

H. BATES,

BRENHAN l3. /Vns'r.

inside of the cup and adapted to pass troller for preventing the return of such ter-- minals when separated unless the controller 

